The Board of Avocados Australia Limited (AAL) has announced the appointment of Milton Bazley as the incoming chief executive.

Milton formally started in May, allowing for a transition period alongside outgoing chief executive John Tyas, who remained with the organisation until the first week of July.

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Milton brings more than 30 years of experience across agribusiness, food manufacturing, and global commodity trade.

He has held senior leadership roles with organisations including SunRice, where he led international trading and export operations across Asia, the Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East, managing large-scale commercial portfolios and complex market access arrangements.

His experience includes developing and executing export strategies, building international partnerships, and working closely with government and industry stakeholders.

The board says if Milton could successfully sell rice into highly competitive markets such as Japan and South Korea, it looks forward to seeing what achieves for the Australian avocado industry.

In addition to his professional credentials, Milton is widely regarded within the industry as a collaborative and personable leader. The board says it is confident he will work closely with the AAL team to build on the organisation's existing capability and culture.

The transition period is intended to support a seamless handover, ensuring continuity of leadership and enabling Milton to gain a thorough understanding of the organisation, its stakeholders, and the broader avocado industry.

The board also thanked John Tyas for his work during the past 14 years. Under his leadership, Avocados Australia grew from a relatively small organisation into one supporting growers across multiple areas of the industry.